MSP hails nation’s green progress

Scotland’s role in tackling climate change at home and abroad was hailed today as activists marked World Environment Day.

Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson highlighted the country’s green energy resources, together with its “world leading” targets for cutting emissions and its efforts to help poorer nations deal with the impact of climate change.

Scotland boasts about a quarter of Europe’s offshore wind and tidal energy resources, and one tenth of its potential for wave power. An extra 45 per cent of renewable energy was generated in Scotland last year compared with 2010.

Mr Stevenson said the move to a greener economy “offers a huge opportunity for Scotland, creating tens of thousands of jobs and reindustrialising our economy”.